TAMPA - Two construction workers in separate cherry-picker buckets were shocked this morning when one of the men touched an umbrella to an overhead power line, authorities said. ...more

June 23, 2008

SEBRING — Although flames reached 10 to 15 feet and embers flew up to 100 yards Tuesday afternoon, firefighters kept a brush fire from causing major damage near Hammock Road. Two homes had minor soffit damage and cracked glass from the heat, and one car was destroyed between Heron and Barn Owl streets and Scrub Jay and Cardinal avenues. The fire, which burned five acres, was fully contained late Tuesday afternoon, according to Florida Division of Forestry Senior Forester Dale Armstrong. ...more

May 27, 2008

Kiteboarding is catching on along Florida's west coast, where the wind always blows. Even if it's not that strong, the wind can tug kiteboarders aloft from Egmont Key to Dunedin. Boarders plunk down an average $2,000 for the board, rigging and kites that look like small parasails and use the free breeze to pull them through the surf and a couple of feet into the air over the waves. ...more

October 2, 2007

DUNEDIN - The 16-year-old kite-boarder who was pulled into power lines by strong winds Saturday remains in serious condition at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa today, a hospital spokeswoman said. Christopher B. Kenny of 100 Sarasota Road in Clearwater was kite-boarding on St. Joseph Sound Saturday afternoon when a strong gust of wind pulled him into some power lines on the north side of the Dunedin Causeway, Pinellas County sheriff's officials have said. Witnesses said they observed an electrical arc shine brightly before Kenny fell 20 to 30 feet to the ground. He was conscious but disoriented when bystanders ran to his aid. ...more

October 1, 2007

DUNEDIN - A 16-year-old kite surfer remains in serious condition today after a gust of wind drove his craft into power lines Saturday. ...more

September 30, 2007